It is ironic that this article describes a captcha [completely automated Turing test to tell computers and humans apart] and then goes on to demonstrate how to defeat it. An automated program that is supposed to pass this difficult computation test just has to forward the captcha image to a real person, at a different Web site, who will then unwittingly assist the automated program. The only challenge is to make it “fun” or otherwise compelling for the unwitting person.
John Haselsberger Allentown, Pa.
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